Mountain bikes are the destination for most riders; in fact, if they are a beginner, they always practice their best to ride on the best mountain bike of their own that can take them beyond the limits of the horizon. But it is also true that buying the first mountain bike would be the most complex task as it needs some consideration that is crucial to enjoying the real essence of off-road riding.
What to Consider When Buying a Mountain Bike?
And investing your whole bank amount on a single mountain bike is not a wise decision, but you can take some important points in your mind to invest your money wisely that will even pay you back in the form of a smooth and comfortable mountain ride. If you are interested in purchasing a new mountain bike but are confused about what to look for when buying a mountain bike, then read this whole informational article that will elaborate on all the significant considerations and tips that will help you out when you will go to the market or online store to buy one for you.
Let’s move forward!
1. Bike Wheels
Wheels are one of the most critical components of a mountain bike as it decides the rider’s comfort during the whole ride because an appropriate wheel with accurate tire size makes the ride unique. Conventionally, 26 inches wheel height with 2 to 2.5 inches wheel diameter was used, but now it is outdated, and the two modern wheel sizes are introduced that are 27.5 inches and 29 inches.
The 29 inches wheels size is the most suitable to avoid the bumps as they do not fall into the larger wholes in the ground and make the overall ride ultra-smooth, but one limitation of this wheel size due to which the people do not prefer this is the tires are heavier that is why difficult to control. To overcome this difficulty, 27.5 inches wheel size, an intermediate between 29 and 26 inches wheels size, was introduced, which is the most popular and considered ideal for mountain bikes.
Besides this, a new introduction is the Plus tire, which signifies more grip with a wider rim, but one downside is that not all people can enjoy this tire as it is available on expensive bikes. If you want to ride on a muddy or dirt surface, knobby tires would be the most appropriate.
2. Bike Frame
Bike frames are of different types, and all are available in the market at different costs, so you have to prepare your budget first to decide what to buy. An MTB enthusiast must know that the frames are available in steel, Aluminum alloy, Titanium, and carbon fiber.
The carbon fiber frame is the most suitable for the sturdy and challenging ride with its lightest weight. If you are looking for an alternative to a steel frame that is more durable, then an Aluminum alloy frame would be the best, but the Titanium frame is the most costly one.
Moreover, the material of the bike frame matters; its size should also be considered. To make your bike fit accurately with your height, you can check the size chart made by the manufacturer that will help you a lot in deciding either to go for the larger or the medium-sized frame. To check if the bike frame is perfect or not, you can test it with a ride-over bike; if you stand over the ground with both your feet, then you can surely go for that!
3. Bike Gear
A drivetrain that offers a wide range of speeds during a ride also decides the comfort of the whole riding journey. The number of cassettes mainly provides smoothness and a guarantee to ensure different riding experiences. The beginner-level bike usually gave a 7-speed cassette, but the number increased to 10 with the cost.
Along with the cassette number, the chainrings also make the full gear. Usually, bikes with 3 chainrings and a 7-speed cassette make a 21-speed drivetrain, and 3 chainrings with an 8-speed cassette make a 24-speed drivetrain.
But it should be noted that the chainrings increase the bike’s weight, so the modern mountain bikes have only one chainring in the front that makes the bike more suitable for the ride as the rider never complain to lose grip due to the heavyweight.
4. Bike Suspension
The modern bikes are the hardtail bikes as they are efficient for climbing and pedaling and the cross country ride; you can also say they are the all-around bikes for the cross country ride. The most amazing fact is that these bikes are the most affordable, especially for beginners. Moreover, the hardtail bikes have a suspension in the front and not in the rear of the bike that can be effectively locked to make a rigid bike.
Other bikes have built-in suspension or full suspension. The full suspension, also known as a dual-suspension bike, has front forks and rear shocks that help absorb all the shocks during the bumpy ride and make the ride smooth by covering all the technical terrain. And with the built-in suspension, you can ascend or descend with more excellent traction.
5. Bike Brakes
A reliable bike braking system helps you get additional control over the ride, especially during bad weather slippery roads, so to tackle that type of situation, disc brakes are the most recommended. But if you want to have brakes that require less maintenance and are lighter, then rim brakes are the most suggested.
Final Verdict:
When you decide to buy a mountain bike, the first question that pops up in your mind is what to look for when buying a mountain bike? That makes you confused because of the so many types of mountain bikes to choose from, and no doubt there are some essential features that you must look for an elaborate above in the guide. If you want your bike to last longer so that you can ride free in every type of terrain, then you should look for all the upper illustrated aspects of a mountain bike. Buy the one for you and explore the mountains!
